Not who we are
by redfox1303
Summary: Set in the episode 'Ice'. Looking at Mulder and Scully's perspectives on the X-files and on their maturing relationship throughout season 1. Fills in missing scenes and adds additional layers to scenes we get to see.
1. Chapter 1

Set in the episode 'Ice'. Looking at Mulder and Scully's perspectives on the X-files and on their maturing relationship throughout season 1. Fills in missing scenes and adds additional layers to scenes we get to see.

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-files or the characters.

"So far nobody's been able to reach the compound because of bad weather. Obviously they either think we're brilliant or expendable because we've pulled the assignment"

Scully watched her partner probing through the pile of maps on his desk. He selected a detailed section of the Arctic region and traced out the route with his finger.

"We'll meet up with three scientists familiar with the ice core project and then head north up to the Icy cape"

She hated it when he'd do this; speedily plan an entire expedition without any inclusion of her and then expect her to go unquestioningly wading into the wilderness with him. She'd followed along with the last few cases always feeling a step behind Mulder. She'd now come to realize that this was his just his method, to ponder over fine details, make sure he'd got his facts straight and then hit her with his wacky theories when she'd least expect it.

"The national weather service reports a three day window to get in and out before the next arctic storm. Bring your mittens" he smiled.

Scully searched through her wardrobe looking for suitable clothing. She'd last been skiing in Switzerland back in the mid-eighties; the feather fill coat and salopettes would be sufficiently warm enough. Still contemplating the scientist on the video Scully placed her baggage by the front door and made a cup of coffee whilst she waited for Mulder to pick her up. What on earth had happened to those men? What had caused all of this? She hesitated at the thought and went to pack a personal first aid kit, just in case.

Mulder had been glued to his computer screen for most of the day trying to research Nome and its extra-terrestrial encounters. He glanced at his wrist watch. Shit. He had to pick Scully up in ten minutes so they could drive to the airport. He hauled a duffel bag out from on top of the wardrobe and began rummaging through his drawers. A pair of shabby thermal bottoms went into the bag, followed by his father's second hand woolly jumper, and a t-shirt he'd found on the floor but still smelt clean. He grabbed his FBI badge off the kitchen counter and wrestled into the worn out hiking boots by the front door before leaving.

Before long the two agents arrived at Doolittle airfield. Already the temperature had dropped dramatically and the air was thinner with a fierce chill. Everyone met and exchanged credentials, surreptitiously sizing one another up. Scully felt slightly apprehensive; she wondered how accurate this three day weather clearance stood, particularly as it was already brutally windy here, and the fact only one pilot was willing to fly them up. She looked at her partner. Although they were still fairly new in working together she was getting good at reading him. Right now he was straining to keep his cool, professional demeanor; beneath he was excited and eager to press forward into the unknown.

Mulder couldn't help but feel invigorated as they crossed the runway and piled into the small aircraft. The airfield was tucked in a valley surrounded by a glorious mountain range. He remembered how he and his father had planned to climb Mt McKinley back when he was fifteen; they'd never quite gotten around to it. Being surrounded by the jagged rocks and steep icy cliff faces made him wish they'd made the time.

The engine spluttered and heaved the craft forwards. After a rather bumpy take off, Doolittle airfield soon disappeared below as they glided through the clouds. The passengers were jerked awake each time the plane hit an air pocket. There was little conversation on board as each member had drifted off into a world of their own.

Bear had successfully landed the old banger on top a snow field near to the base. The runway had been completely buried in thick snow and the howling wind meant they were likely to fly into the radio mast if they landed too close. None the less, the team landed, layered up and braced the evening chill. Scully anticipated the meeting with the crew inside, if they were still violent and enraged would they attack with weapons? Perhaps the others were being too optimistic of a civil meeting here. She tucked her gun into its holster under her coat. The metal was cold against her, a thin thermal top the only thing separating it from her skin. Her partner marched ahead through the deep snow, determined to break in fast. He waited until everyone was prepared and then elbowed the frozen door in, weapon and flashlight at the ready.

To be continued….

Please give feedback on what you thought of this. I'm new to Fanfic and just starting to find my feet. I'd love to hear reviews, good or bad, I'm open to criticism. Hope you enjoyed Chapter 1.


	2. Chapter 2

It had all happened so fast it was impossible to comprehend. Bear had refused to stay quarantined, put up a fight, and then out of nowhere they'd pulled a worm-like parasite out of his flesh whilst they had him pinned to the table. He'd been infected, but the virus was so unfamiliar, there was no way of relating it to anything natural. Scully was deeply concerned; the man in front of her was dead.

From the other room she heard Mulder firing up the radio.

"Advise immediate evacuation, the storm is bearing in your direction; over" the voice crackled across through the speaker.

"We were told we'd have three clear days of weather; over" Mulder replied in a slight panic.

"Welcome to the top of the world, Sir; over" the machine crackled for a while and then went dead.

This was not a good situation to be in. Mulder ran through all the options in his head and came to the conclusion that they were pretty screwed. They would have to separate themselves and contain the virus whilst they were stuck in this freezer box. They were really on their own with this.

Later, as tensions rose people were becoming more and more anxious. They had to sleep and they knew it but no one trusted anyone. How on earth could they settle for the night knowing full well that one of them might turn crazy and start shooting up the place? Scully insisted on everyone getting examined for the spots. Her medical-side was running through the motions of proper quarantine procedure as if on autopilot. Inside, she was scared and worried about the outcomes; she hid behind her medical profession by thinking logically and being precise. It had gotten them through many scrapes in the past.

Mulder was grateful for having Scully there. She took control of the situation as everyone was about to bite each other's heads off. He felt a strangeness towards their friendship right now. Part of him wanted to get Scully the hell out of there; he was responsible for her, he brought her all the way up to this hell hole in the middle of nowhere and now her life was in danger. This risk was his risk; it shouldn't have to be hers too.

The men and women separated off into their own privacies. Guys took over the back room and the girls down the hall. Though the heater had been broken making the atmosphere almost tropical, it had dropped back down again temporarily; Mulder wasn't looking forward to stripping off his warm cosy layers.

"Before anyone passes judgement, may I remind you we are in the Arctic"

His attempts to make light of the situation served only to annoy Hodge further. No one was particularly enthusiastic about the experience.

Mulder unbuckled his jeans and let his boxers fall to the floor. He knew he should be feeling embarrassed but could conjure a sufficient amount of self-consciousness. Instead, he stood naked allowing Hodge to thoroughly examine him. He'd much rather Scully be looking him over; he trusted her more than any of the others here.

Hodge moved on to check Murphy. Mulder pretended to pay attention but couldn't escape the lustful thoughts of Scully being looked over by another woman. He imagined the blond woman touching Scully's breasts, running her fingers across her abdomen and down towards her-. Mulder had to stop himself. He felt his groin swell as his thoughts trailed off. Luckily the guys were preoccupied so he managed to quickly step back into his trousers unnoticed. An erection in the heavily male dominated situation like this would not do wonders for his man points. He had to re-focus his mind.

"We done here guys?" he asked turning his thermal vest inside out the right way.


	3. Chapter 3

_Okay, so I may have extended and altered the Scully/Mulder checking for the virus closet scene. But I felt this was a little more thorough._

The team separated off for the night, each locked in their individual rooms in order to protect themselves from one another. Scully felt trapped and alone. How on earth had she gotten in such a predicament, yet again? Since starting on the X files with Mulder things had gone from one impossibility to another and now they were stuck in the middle of the nowhere in sub-zero temperatures with a potentially lethal virus slowly killing them off. The room she was in had been one of the deceased scientists; she recognised him in the photo pinned on the wall. The man's clothes were still on the floor, his possessions placed neatly around the room. Scully felt sick from the thought; he was dead, dead from this unfamiliar virus, and any one of them could be next. Mulder had been bitten by the collie; what if he were infected? She resisted the urge to go and check on her partner. Instead she secured the bedroom door and tried desperately to sleep.

Across the hall, Mulder too was struggling to sleep. Every time he drifted off he'd awake flustered to the sensation of worms crawling under his skin. Of course this was all just in his imagination but Mulder couldn't escape the nightmares. He thought of Scully; was she okay? Flicking the nightlight on, he fumbled for his snow boots. He'd go and check on her, check she was alright; after all he was the one that had brought her out here knowing full well it could be dangerous.

Things had gone wrong for Agent Mulder. The store room was cramped and dark and he'd been confined to it, convicted of a crime he did not commit, the death of Murphy. Scully entered the room to confront him. He didn't want to see her. He didn't want to see anyone. At least in there he was safe from the infected killer. The two argued, both protective and afraid to be compassionate for one another, despite caring a lot.

"I don't trust them" Mulder confessed, "I trust you".

He allowed her to check his neck for the black spots. Occasionally he'd worried he may have actually contracted the virus. Twice his mind had played tricks on him as he watched dark blotches appear all up his arms. Mulder was certain he was not infected but he couldn't be so sure with Scully. If he turned his back on her he'd be at a disadvantage should she attack. Mulder went against his judgement; he faced away from the women, exposing his back for her to examine.

Scully held her breath as she examined her partner. She pleaded she'd find nothing; she refused to believe he'd been infected but everything pointed to Mulder being the killer. Her fingers felt across his neck and across his shoulders. It all appeared to be normal, no lumps, and no black spots. She sighed in relief.

"Well" Mulder asked.

"Nothing" she replied, "it's all clear"

Mulder pulled his shirt entirely off and turned to face her.

"Nothing on the arms either" He twisted his left arm so she could see every side of it, "And no dog bite, it didn't break the skin, it's not me, Scully"

Scully nodded. She wondered if he might continue undressing in front of her. Out of fear or out of content that Mulder really was Mulder, she wanted to be close to him. Where were they to go from here; the infected member was still amongst them.


End file.
